Au-Revoir Focus!

[Marky04]

I found the drive very comfortable, all the controls just where I need them and it’s a very easy car to drive. My wife did not like the car when we first looked at it but after the test drive said we should buy it.

This is our second Focus we had a 2ltr diesel Zetec 57 plate which we had trouble with the DPF filter which was finally sorted by ford which is why we looked at other cars but when the new Focus came out we just had to try it and so far we are very happy with it

[catch]

Marky petrol or TDCi? Is it a 1.6 or a 2.0L I believe the 2.0TDCi has a CDPF, that does not need replacing or additive tops, is that right?

[jeebowhite]

Catch, are you a focus salesman by any chance ;) you seem to be pulling out all the stops trying to get me behind a focus again ;) lol.

And it will be interesting to see if these DPF's are maintenance free!

I guess that Focus must be a test drive car with the low mileage, either that or some daft sod's buying, driving, and getting bored of their car very quickly lol ;)

[btmaldon]

I was looking at a Cee'd this morning as you dont see these often around our area. I dont really see the comparison with the new Focus, but it does sit well on the road and certainly the frontal aspect of the car looks quite appealing. The grill shape and lights work well together and the compact shape gives the appearance of a car that can handle the bends well.

[jeebowhite]

It really does handle very well. I can see some styling comparisons, that are familiar traits between the two, granted they arent twins...

But I really dont "miss the focus" like I suspected I might (even though the little blighter irritated the hell out of me for some time). The handling in the Cee'd is very good and sits well alongside the focus, Marky preferred the Focus over the Cee'd, and I can understand that, but then again probably paid more for the focus than the Cee'd would have cost for similar spec?

In all honesty, I was bias when leaving Ford. my aim was "with my luck in cars, I need something that will not cost me an arm and a leg daily, and something I can trust". If Kia trusted their cars so much they would offer 7 years warranty, I had to take it. I did look at the likes of the Astra, but the warranty was appalling (non transferrable other than three years, and the amount of exclusions outweighs the amount of covered items). I was tempted by the Hyundai i40, but with no local dealers I knew of, and a higher price to be paid to buy it, I settled with the Cee'd, I got almost my old focus, in a new Shell with 6 years warranty left! overall it works for me!

I changed my avatar pic to the front end, I think it is quite appealing. If anyone wants to take a look at the ceed, from a few outside perspectives, take a look at mine http://www.fordownersclub.com/forums/index.php?app=gallery&module=user&user=10869&do=view_album&album=587

[Marky04]

Our Focus is the 1.6 petrol.

To be honest when we priced the Cee'd against the Focus there was very little in it and we were almost signing the deal on the Cee'd when we took the focus out for a good run and that's what made up our mind.

The appeal for the 7 year warranty did not sway us because we only keep our cars for between 2 - 3 yrs.

Only time will tell if the Focus holds together, but to quote my wife "It's the best car I've ever driven" and I'm not going to argue with her lol

[jeebowhite]

lol Good answer! Goes to show though that the Cee'd is increasing popularity, if you were about to sign the deal! had you swapped 6 months earlier, it could have been a different story?

[jeebowhite]

lol Good answer! Goes to show though that the Cee'd is increasing popularity, if you were about to sign the deal! had you swapped 6 months earlier, it could have been a different story?

[Marky04]

Yes, 6 months earlier, it could have been a different story but i would be kicking myself very hard lol

[jeebowhite]

Well - For anyone who is interested, as I can see that there are some more contemplations of leaving the blue oval! I have had the car now for 7 weeks tomorrow. In that time I have now racked up a nice little 2500 miles or so!

Well, I can honestly say I am baffled by this car. I have yet to sit behind the wheel and say "oh... im not in the focus..." on the contrary, almost every day I have been thankful it wasnt the focus. not one thing has rattled, or blipped, not even a false whisper from it! for the first time in quite a long time, I havent wondered what on earth is going to go wrong next, and when I think of the car, I dont immediately ask "whats it going to cost".

So my overall review so far.

Performance, is excellent! 123 BHP with a light nimble car allows it to pick up pace. for the first time since I got the car I decided to really thrash it, and what fun!! I have managed to get up quite a steep incline (for local Kent folk it was Blue Bell Hill!) Third gear, flying up the revs, I managed to reach a very good speed very quickly, so no lack of performance there then. On an empty roundabout, I decided to floor it from a standstill round the roundabout and down the carraigeway. A very respectable 10 seconds from 0-60 even round a roundabout, so I was very impressed indeed. It was nimble enough, and has been thrown into roundabouts hamilton style on more than enough ocassions, and has come flying out the other side in good stead. as far as this car performs, I am inside the focus, but its a little more fun!

Other than my review in previous posts, I only had a couple of concerns, one of which was the boot. Well I have managed to take the wife shopping, with the little one and his buggy. After piling up a debt of £90 on my credit card, along with a lot of carriers, I had no problem getting everything into the boot, so I am really not too disheartened by the lost boot space.

As for missing the turbo - well I really find that the right gear with the right amount of dead weight behind the gas pedal combats that one :)

Economy is still al ittle less than I would have liked. Diesel used to last 10 days, even with an enthusiastic right foot, now it lasts me 6 or 7 depending on how enthusiastic I am. This tank I will have managed to get out of it 350 miles, and that is with no economical driving at all, so I expect roughly an average of 34-36MPG - compared to the 42 on the diesel I was getting before trading in...

So, there you have it, the Cee'd may not be as high brow popular as the Focus, but IMHO, its a !Removed! good car, for a brilliant price, and the piece of mind I have with such a new vehicle / warranty also is second to none! I really have no problems with it at all. This car really is a Focus in a smaller Shell, just without the expensive price tag, the extra value for money, and the loss of irritating bills and the feeling of "whats going to go pop next"!

On a showing off front... :P - The Cee'd has more intelligence than Ford. I ask you this - How often have you gotten out of the car and left the lights on? I have done this, and I dont have to worry anymore. I can get out of my car with the switches set for all lights on, I can switch the ignition off, and the lights remain on, but as soon as I open my door, all lights are cut out completely! Brilliant - Other cars bong, or the Focus if you put park lights on will just sit there and run you out of juice, but the Kia really is cleverly designed. To switch on parklights, you need to remove the key, open the door, and reset your lights to on - so the only way you can run your battery down is if your a pleb :) - Clever thinking I would have expected from Ford...

Only one thing I really do miss on the focus - On Board Diagnostics. I do not have this on the Kia and would have loved it to be present, but nothing a good OBD reader wont resolve. I do however miss the speed / revs etc in digital format should I so wish!

I really dont regret the move, I couldnt be happier with my Cee'd, and I suggest if you are looking at a new car, definately take out the new Cee'd for a test drive. if it has the front end that my avatar does, its the MK2, which is better all round than the MK1, I really really suggest take it for a test drive, and see what you think!

If anyone would like any other info just ask, and I will answer. like I have mentioned before, I know this isnt a Kia forum, but this thread is my boasting topic :P, I know people are looking at alternatives, so I think its always good to have a balance of opinions on alternatives!

EDIT: Well I just recieved a call from Kia customer service... They advise that my car has 5 minor repair campaigns, all to be done free of charge, at my convenience! So I called up Kia, and arrange it, got a courtesy car booked in, and my car to be dropped off, they will have it all done in half a day! no questions asked, no problems, otherwise it would have been pulling gold teeth from Ford! I am impressed with their service so far!

[catch]

Jeebs, are we due a six month ownership update?

I had a look in at Burnley Motorpoint car supermarket Sunday. I always lose an hour and a half having a good look around, when her indoors says.......I'm off to Boundary Mill fancy coming? No but I will drive you over the border if you want, but I'd go spare trailing around a superstore. Fine by me she says, I don't want you wittering me to hurry up, so we are both happy

Anyway whilst there I saw a nice specimen of a Ceed, same colour as your on a 10 plate. And now the new Mk3 boot size has been cut down, I might be tempted to try out a Kia Ceed if the alternative was to be a Focus petrol 125bhp petrol jobbie, two or three years old. Like you say the Seven year warranty and reasonable pricing on a nimble motor like yours, has to be considered I reckon.

[jeebowhite]

Hi Catch,

Well I have been meaning to put an update, as boring as it may be! keeping busy with family and work, all of them expect me to do something somewhere, how dare they take my forum time away from me!! lol

Well So far so good, 6 months later, car has racked up an additional 7500 miles since I bought it, and still - not a whisper. - ok I fib...

a short while ago I reversed my car, ended up clamboring over the curb and dropping the front of the car onto the top of the high kerb. No real damage, didnt actually hit the chassis, but I did manage to catch an air conditioning fin. it seems that the koreans have glued a strip of 40 or so fins together to keep the aircon cool and as a result of my bump on the ground I shook one slightly loose, and eventially I pulled it off... only minor disappointment.

Other than that, she just cost me £170 for two new tyres and an alignment, but still, not a real hitch! no noises, no cried, no whispers even. Still handles like the Focus (marginely better since the new tyres and the alignment!) however one thing I discovered the other day!!!

god knows how... but the tyres I had survived 27000 miles! no joke, the tyres where the originals, the front tyres where michelin premacy something or others, and they had lasted on the rear, and were swapped to the front. So two tyres lasted 27000 miles on the rear, and two were replaced.

Money savings are showing now, havent had to replace something else every other weekend, petrol costs are not too different to the focus, OK slighgtly more expensive due to petrol vs diesel fight, but not too bad. Otherwise, I have learned to live with the smaller boot, getting a slightly more compact buggy has helped, but overall not a bulb has blown!

So I am still very happy with the decision, and having been on the Kia forums, it seems more and more Focus owners are changing to the Cee'd and like me, many agree there is little difference. As you say (and I keep rabitting on about!) the 7 year warranty is just a fantastic offer, it gives me confidence in the car, and shows that they are trying a bit harder to please their customers.

small features on this car are a bonus, the likes of all lights switch off so you cant leave them on accidentally! (thanks kia, probably saved my bacon a few times already!) small and nimble, easy to drive, the steering is very light over the focus so makes parking it more of a please, and makes flitting between roads and lanes a real ease.

I would say that its worth taking a look at the Cee'd - granted its smaller than the focus with about 40 litres less in the boot, but the estate or "SW" version makes up for that. otherwise I would say if anyone is looking to replace the Ford take a look, they really are very good. Moons ago no one would look at a kia (myself included!) but now they really have excelled themselves... Sorry Jezza Clarkson, but the Cee'd hasnt yet bitten the dust!

[jeebowhite]

Well in the interest of anyone who cares... I thought I would update on my ownership of the Cee'd! 8 Months later, and there are a couple of niggles...

1) Reverse Gear - like the Focus had, I sometimes find that the Cee'd doesnt always engage into reverse properly first time, without argument, sometimes have to knock it out then put it back in place... it does work, and is only a minor inconvenience...

2) The Dealer!!! - had a few problems with the dealer not fulfilling the service, they didnt do a proper service, and as such (because they didnt replace my Air Filter and Spark Plugs) my MPG is now taking quite a hit! down to the average below, I used to get around 380 - 400 miles per tank... Now I only get 280 - 320... A hit that I could do without! So I am awaiting my service, where the dealer has told me they will replace these parts FOC, then I am changing dealer!

Other than that, the car still goes well, still sometimes forget that its not the Focus (maybe its just the slow nature of my brain!). I still cant praise this car enough really!

[Lenny]

Well in the interest of anyone who cares... I thought I would update on my ownership of the Cee'd! 8 Months later, and there are a couple of niggles...

1) Reverse Gear - like the Focus had, I sometimes find that the Cee'd doesnt always engage into reverse properly first time, without argument, sometimes have to knock it out then put it back in place... it does work, and is only a minor inconvenience...

2) The Dealer!!! - had a few problems with the dealer not fulfilling the service, they didnt do a proper service, and as such (because they didnt replace my Air Filter and Spark Plugs) my MPG is now taking quite a hit! down to the average below, I used to get around 380 - 400 miles per tank... Now I only get 280 - 320... A hit that I could do without! So I am awaiting my service, where the dealer has told me they will replace these parts FOC, then I am changing dealer!

Other than that, the car still goes well, still sometimes forget that its not the Focus (maybe its just the slow nature of my brain!). I still cant praise this car enough really!

Do you miss the torque of the diesel Jeebo?

[jeebowhite]

Still do unfortunately, The car overall makes up for it in general power (so still get a good bit of grunt higher up the revs. But I do miss the low grunt of the Turbo kicking in, and I also miss the extended miles per tank! lol

Well either way, I dont feel I am too much worse off. Overall the car is safe and sound, OK the MPG is down at present but that WILL be resolved soon (Or I will be creating a new entrance to the dealers showroom!) lol.

As I have said throughout in almost all ways its just like the Focus, Aside the Turbo Grunt, and the boot size, I quite often forget I am not in the Focus! I still dont regret my decision, however who knows what the future may bring... maybe the MK5 Focus will sort it all out for me ;) lol

[artscot79]

Still do unfortunately, The car overall makes up for it in general power (so still get a good bit of grunt higher up the revs. But I do miss the low grunt of the Turbo kicking in, and I also miss the extended miles per tank! lol

Well either way, I dont feel I am too much worse off. Overall the car is safe and sound, OK the MPG is down at present but that WILL be resolved soon (Or I will be creating a new entrance to the dealers showroom!) lol.

As I have said throughout in almost all ways its just like the Focus, Aside the Turbo Grunt, and the boot size, I quite often forget I am not in the Focus! I still dont regret my decision, however who knows what the future may bring... maybe the MK5 Focus will sort it all out for me ;) lol

my old man agrees he bought a ceed as well and loves it doesnt regret it though he hasnt had any dealer issues yet anyway the only car hes looking at is the new kias out now he likes the new rio

[jeebowhite]

New Rio (IMHO) is a bit tacky / plasticky inside. the 88MPG is the best selling point, however I wouldnt chop the Cee'd in for the Rio.

But Kia are doing well in the modern market, since I bought mine (I am sure there is no correlation / causation here) but I am seeing many more Cee'ds on the road. They are popular, they are good value and they are very good overall, in terms of competition to the Focus, I still stand by my opinion. Given the choice though, I would probably go with the MK 1.5 / 20.0 (however you want to see it) Ceed SW over the Focus... Having said that, I have yet to sit behind the wheel of the new Focus, and have no doubts its a good car, but my faith in the blue oval, is about as valuable as my faith in the tax man...

[jeebowhite]

OK so I am getting close to the one year later stage, and thought that as an off the cuff comment to the recent Focus MK3 price drop conversation, I thought I would post a summary of the last year...

So here it is... this is what I have bought since owning the car...

• Petrol
  
• 2 x Front tyres
  
• 1x chip cover kit
  

The problems with the car I have had:

• Dealer was a muppet (but then how many can say theirs arent?)
  
• car needed a new wiper stalk as the switch was faulty - replaced under warranty free of charge
  

All in all, a fairly easy year, no troubles, no concerns, no real majot problems, and I can say quite confidently that my health would have been a lot worse, if I still had the Focus.

So, I still get into the car, I can still floor it, and feels like the Focus, it still handles very well as I found the Focus did, and I still feel like I have a lot of peace of mind (5 years warranty remaining). for the final £5k bill for this car, I cant say I have yet regretted the car - other than my one complaint... the boot is 40L smaller than the Focus, I eally miss the big boot, but I dont miss the Focus.

So what have I learned over the last year...

• People love to laugh at the fact that my car is korean, and wind me up....
  
• ....I love to laugh at them, when their 3 year old car breaks and costs them a fortune, where mine is still covered for the same part under warranty...
  
• The Cee'd is flexible, parts can be bought for the hyundai i30, and for the most part, can be used on the Cee'd - still very low prices for the parts, but they are so easily and readily available
  
• my car is really a "put petrol in and go" car, although I had problems with the dealer not replacing the air filter, and spark plugs, the fuel consumption dropped, with a bit of email argument, a few phonecalls to Kia Head Office, I saved myself £200.00 on the price of my major "3rd year" service, because I argued they should replace the parts... easy result, and saved a fortune
  
• Car now runs efficiently again, better with Shell than supermarket petrol, but on a 1.6 Petrol, if I play nicely, I can get 380+ miles per tank (presuming the weather doesnt drop the efficiency like a stone!)
  

I still advise that if anyone considers buying an additional car (or if like me looking for an alternative to the new Focus) really do give consideration to the koreans. Build quality, backed up by 5 or 7 year warranty, the quality that can rest between Focus and Mondeo (depending on the variant) and it costs you less than Ford would.

Dont get me wrong, I guess I havent completely discounted Ford from any future cars, but the competitive market out there, with the koreans really picking up the pace, Ford really need to do a heck of a lot, to win back customers from their competitors.

Sitting on the Kia forums out there, I see a fair few comments coming back from ex-Focus owners, all praising the koreans.

Thats it really, a fairly uneventful year, but its been a pleasure so far, and I have the thrill back that I used to get with the Focus (before the devil spawn reared its ugly head).

I hope that this thread doesnt peeve too many people "This is a Ford forum, not a sales pitch for a competitor" I hear some say, I feel passionate about sharing information, and if I can persuade someone to make a good decision, that perhaps wouldnt have been considered, I am glad to do so.

I do still love posting here though, helping others where I can, and I hope that counter balances my thread here, and restores some faith in my "non - korean - sales pitches" as a contribution to the forum!

[artscot79]

ford forum it is but at the end of the day we all have to be honest wether we love fords or not.

kia and hyundai have upped there game knocking even the likes of vw off there spots and you explained why............they know there cars have to be reliable and well built hence the 7 year warranty they dont like bad press so there head office give dealers a swift kick where its needed and customers are happy faults are rectified free and swiftly and theres no lengths they wont go to to make sure thats the case .if ford could do the above they would be a winner and ide happily buy another but sadly they dont really seem to care and i think all of us can say that that statement is true.

[jeebowhite]

Final Review!

As most of you will likely be aware by now, I have passed the Cee'd onto pastures new, and returned to the creature comforts of the Ford. I needed a bigger car, and an ex cat-d came up that meant I got a fantastic buying price.

The Cee'd was a very good car, all the positives I have said about it above are still valid, however since I needed space, and I couldnt magic any real usable space up, I looked around and found the CMAX to be the better deal.

Over my two years of ownership, she started everyday, drove without a hitch and was a pleasure to drive, petrol probably averaged about 34mpg over my time with her but I was right foot heavy for the most part...

I would advise and exercise caution if you are looking to buy the car short term... The depreciation for a high mileage cee'd to sell back to any dealer is poor. even though I had 53% of the warranty remaining, the car was sold at a return of 27% the cost of its first purchase... not even three years old, and she had lost 73% of her value... so if you plan on buying a competitor to the focus, buy one, and run it into the ground! if your a light miles driver, buy one and enjoy it, but if you do a lot of miles... Strongly consider your purchase.

So, back to the blue oval, I shall be more upcoming and posting more here once again as I fell back home!

Au revoir Cee'd - Hello CMAX!

[artscot79]

oh god no what have you done well at least youve gave the hair time to grow back in before you start pulling it out again lol

[jeebowhite]

lol.

For a family of four, two kids two parents, a double buggy and two car seats, there really was too little space in the car to cope further. Shopping trips where difficult to say the least, and it was just a claustrophobic environment.

There is certainly more space in this one, and hopefully it will be nicer to me than the last Focus!